How do Netlabels get known? How to build following?

Derek White's Eggs

Henderson Valley Eggs! You're gonna love our eggs! These ain't your daddy's eggs.

  On 8/7/2014 at 7:35 PM, BCM said:

i think he's gone guys....let's talk about eggs instead.

 

I do a fucking lovely poached egg. nice and runny yolk served on wholewheat bread with cracked black pepper. mmmmmm...

Dude, hook me up to your egg connection!

  On 8/4/2014 at 8:06 PM, Cryptowen said:

I dunno how much real world popularity netlabels get. Like even if you lived in hipster city you'd need to know some hella-nerds to have BotR just casually pop up in conversation. It'd mostly just be guys on 4chan shitposting about you in between neckbeard rants & paedophilia. And WATMM spergin out and/or comparing you unfavourably to ambient techno from the early 90s

 

Money-wise, I'd be interested to find out what these dudes actually do make

Even the most "popular" and critically acclaimed tape and bandcamp labels are still people with day jobs or are kids without financial concerns because someone else pays their bills. Not all, but some. Those who make a living off of it bust their asses doing so though.

Consider this a hobby above all else but if it grows into something financially sustainable, then cool beans. One of my musical idols, Fenriz of legendary BM group Darkthrone, literally works part-time, like 30 hours a week. He doesn't have to - his residuals and sales of new music are sufficient - he does so he will never ever compromise his music with concerns of making a living. It's an extreme commitment but it's an attitude I agree with.

  On 8/4/2014 at 8:18 PM, VIII said:

 

  On 8/4/2014 at 7:09 PM, ieafs said:

i know one of the people that runs one of these labels and it's pretty much due to having large amounts of contacts within the music-criticism-sphere and a fairly savvy/cynical eye for visual/conceptual aesthetic trends

this

 

Yes, and it doesn't have to be pure spamming in the dark nor morally iffy PR maneuvering: most of these labels have a sincere fanbase and community aspect to them. Make friends and contacts. People are actually pretty cool when you reach out. Worst case scenario they just don't respond. There's a huge amount of enthusiasm and, imo, a unspoken resistance to the horrendously fucked up "hyped indie band" machine espoused by media outlets like Pitchfork.

Also Vamos - just send some of your existing demos to tape labels. I wouldn't find some of your music out of place on say, a label like Orange Milk. Don't worry if it's already been self-released online. Don't worry about releasing music on various different net labels. I've seen many examples of successful tapes that were essentially reissues of self-released digital music and a lot, in fact most, of the artists on these netlabels release not on one label, but many, sometimes even dozens.

Actually, first and foremost, you have to have good marketing skills. It's more about image than most of you think. Sure, people will often say "My work will sell it self.", but, please, think before you say something like that.

Your eggs might taste great (baked or cooked), but if you don't have the skills to sell 'em, to make people buy 'em, then you're still nowhere.

Get in contact with egg blogs is a good place to start

How is natlabbel formed?

how money get pocket?

  On 8/4/2014 at 6:24 PM, vamos scorcho said:

So what gives? How does one go from being nothing as a Bandcamp label, to having a following, critical attention, etc?

1. Close your Bandcamp page

2. Take some of your best music and press 300 records. Don't waste any money on graphic design or packaging.

3. Send 50 of these records to a selection of quality labels, musicians, and even bloggers if you think it's worth it

4. Contact a handful of quality retailers (bricks & mortar primarily, with a couple of online-only) to enquire about directly distributing a small quantity of records to them for sale. If the seller can be exclusive for their territory (they will ask this), do so.

If they sell well and are popular, the retailers will request more, so

5. Continue to distribute until you run out. There's a chance you'll see some good press start to materialise.

6. Contact the retailers to see whether any of their "important" customers liked your record, or whether they have any tips on labels they are friendly with that might be interested in hearing from you

7. Follow up on these leads, while also following up on the people you initially sent the freebies to, as well as anybody who took the time to write nice things about your record. Offer exclusive access to more music.

If these people are positive about what you're doing, and you're positive about what they're doing,

8. Enquire about licensing/collaboration/gigs/work

If this gets a foothold into something interesting, you could then do one or both of the following:

9. Do licensing/collaboration/gigs/work

9. Make another record, repeat above steps

This should hopefully build a head of steam, so to speak.. At which point you could possibly

10. Re-open your Bandcamp page and start selling to the unwashed masses

Please note though, you have to make good music for the above scheme to work. If you don't make good music, you'll have wasted quite a lot of time and money!

lots of good advice, probably can be used by others. good job and thanks.

word of advice in return to anyone who is listening:

the key to success is complete 100% lack of a fuck given to what anyone has to say about your style, so long as you believe in it and understand it. the sounds of laughter are, one must remember, tautologically equivalent to the sounds of fear. of course, this doesn't apply to something that is in mere replication of what has already occurred, not being the aim of what is known as experimental music, seeing that experiments often fail, and are expected to do so. anyone who is turned away by a visual aesthetic (or name-fashion-image) does not deserve to be enjoying the music.

*strokes beard and self*

Yes, nothing breeds success like establishing contempt for your listener.

if you want your music well known you need to make a youtube music video where the thumbnail is a girl getting fingered and the video itself is some kind of monster hentai in a swimming pool

Ah, the old "you don't understand my edgy experimentalism, it has nothing to do with my lack of ability to create something aesthetically pleasing aurally or visually" defense.

  On 8/10/2014 at 11:33 PM, percy roger smith said:

if you want your music well known you need to make a youtube music video where the thumbnail is a girl getting fingered and the video itself is some kind of monster hentai in a swimming pool

I like that tune/video a lot, actually.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqsXshAhC6k

some good info in here.

personally i have seen the value first hand of being friendly, making online contacts and supporting your new internet mates.

got me a record signed on a decent label so i can vouch. but i feel as though LUCK is a also a big part in many peoples success, i feel like i was right place at the right time

everything has been mentioned in a lot of depth in here so good luck re-inventing that bandcamp. get ready for the $$ to roll in

  On 8/7/2014 at 7:35 PM, BCM said:

i think he's gone guys....let's talk about eggs instead.

 

I do a fucking lovely poached egg. nice and runny yolk served on wholewheat bread with cracked black pepper. mmmmmm...

i love eggs benedict

basically nobody makes a living out of music in 2014

give up

  On 8/11/2014 at 3:56 PM, poblequadrat said:

basically nobody makes a living out of music in 2014

give up

The successful ones do!

  On 8/11/2014 at 4:35 PM, paranerd said:

 

  On 8/11/2014 at 3:56 PM, poblequadrat said:

basically nobody makes a living out of music in 2014

give up

The successful ones do!

 

That's true. I dunno, I think trying to get your music released is a good thing because what's the point otherwise, but I wouldn't expect to make any money out of it. It can happen but even big labels such as Mille Plateaux or Rephlex have had their problems... I posted that comment more than anything because scorcho said he needs money as soon as possible.

Anyone ever played catch with raw eggs? Trying not to break them is the hardest part. And don't cook them that's cheating

so if this opal fella is making a living off selling (other) peoples music, what kind of a cut do you think he's taking?
probably most of the physical sale but what % of the digital do you think he takes/ is fair to take?

  On 8/15/2014 at 5:13 AM, Berk said:

Anyone ever played catch with raw eggs? Trying not to break them is the hardest part. And don't cook them that's cheating

*jots it down*

  On 8/11/2014 at 5:13 AM, usagi said:

 

  On 8/10/2014 at 11:33 PM, percy roger smith said:

if you want your music well known you need to make a youtube music video where the thumbnail is a girl getting fingered and the video itself is some kind of monster hentai in a swimming pool

 

I like that tune/video a lot, actually.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqsXshAhC6k

 

Same, I love that track and video. Fuck dem h8rz

Gigs at places where people with interest for the music are hanging out.

Promotion, of various kinds. Print out 500 + poster stickers. Place them out at places where a lot of people are moving around. Bus stops, metros or around big cities. (this can of course be discussed whether its OK or not, but really.. whatever)

Try get some of your artists that are signed at your label to get gigs at small festivals or events.

Vamos, you might want to invest in a hype guy down the road. Or find a friend who's good at buttering people up & get him to do your PR. Because a lot of your threads seem to get reactions like this.

that's coz vamos is like 14 or something...don't waste any more time with this nonsense - talk about eggs!